‘Oh, you don’t know my family! It’s never bothered them before when they’ve come into where I’ve worked. One time, Danny, my middle brother, he turned up at Gilson’s factory and literally dragged me out by my hair. I screamed and kicked and punched him, but he wouldn’t let me go. Needless to say, I wasn’t welcome back after that. Then this other time, I had a job at the fair on the candy floss stall opposite the Big Dipper. I loved that job but it didn’t last either, not once my dad got wind of it. He showed up, effing and blinding, and scared all the kids. I couldn’t promise he wouldn’t do it again, so they let me go. Believe me, I could go on, they’re relentless, that’s why I get nervous when I’m out.’

‘Oh, Mo, I knew you’d had a rotten time of it, but I didn’t realise it was that bad. Well, like you say, let’s not let them spoil our fun. Fingers crossed we won’t see any of them today. If we do, you won’t be alone.’

‘Thanks, Sarah,’ Mo said, though she didn’t know how her friend would be able to help against her dad and brothers. She thought it was nice of Sarah to stand by her, but her friend hadn’t seen the size of the muscles on her family. Nor had she heard their foul mouths.

‘Come on, let’s go to the beauty department and you can help me pick out a new lipstick,’ Sarah urged. ‘I doubt we’d bump into your dad or brothers in there.’

‘OK, but I bloody hate them snooty make-up women. They’re probably all posh Chelsea girls who think they’re so much better than us.’

‘I’ve never been in there before, but I bet none of them are as pretty as you, Mo.’

‘I wouldn’t bet on it,’ Mo answered, ‘you wait ’til you see them. They always look immaculate and have a right air about them.’

Mo and Sarah climbed the red carpet of the impressive sweeping polished wooden staircase, and looked in awe at the fine dresses displayed in the centre.

‘Cor, I wish I could have something like that red dress instead of second-hand gear from George’s stall,’ Sarah whispered.

‘I know what you mean, but where would we wear an evening gown like that?’

‘Good point. Oh, well, it’s nice to look,’ Sarah said.

Mo nodded in agreement, but she imagined herself in the designer dresses, riding in a flash sports car with an attractive film star by her side. That was the life she believed she should have been born into. Not this tedious one of poverty and beatings. It’s not fair, she thought, trying not to sulk.